Butcher / Carnicero

Butchers work in grocery stores, specialty markets, and butcher shops, preparing, trimming, and slicing meat for customers. They may also work in industrial meat processing facilities, where they prepare cuts of meat for wholesale customers and grocery stores. Butchers work in refrigerated environments and process cuts of cow, pi, chicken, and other meats for consumers.

Because they work with knives and industrial slicing machinery, butchers maintain their equipment and work areas to ensure a safe environment. They play a vital role in properly storing, weighing, and labeling meat after it is processed and before it makes its way to retail shelves.

Butcher Duties and Responsibilities

While a butcher’s duties can depend on whether they work in a grocery store, butcher shop, or industrial warehouse, many of the core responsibilities of this role carry are the same:

Process Meat

Butchers process and prepare a variety of meats for retail or restaurant sale. They have an extensive knowledge of meat cuts and standard weights; they prepare steaks, cutlets, and loins. Butchers also determine which portions to grind and decide how much meat to make into products such as sausages or cured meat. Butchers may work based on customer specifications or prepare larger quantities for large retail spaces.

Weigh and Package Meat

Butchers also weigh, package, and label meat for retail sale. Depending on the work environment, butchers may process large quantities of meat (in a grocery store or processing plant) or prepare individual orders for customers (at a dedicated butcher shop). Butchers also determine how to store meat for sale or transport, ensure proper refrigeration of all meat products.

Maintain Equipment

Butchers utilize a variety of tools to process and prepare meat, including saws, knives, and grinders. Most are responsible for maintaining this equipment through regular cleaning and routine repairs, including sharpening knives and saws. Butchers who work in meat processing facilities regularly inspect their workstations to ensure that equipment is in good working order and to prevent delays or accidents.

Sanitize Work Areas

Butchers maintain sanitized work areas throughout their shifts. They clean equipment after each use, following safety guidelines and regulations, in order to prevent cross-contamination or the spread of food-borne illnesses. Most butchers also conduct regular health and safety checks, ensuring their work area adheres to safety and sanitation guidelines determined by the Food and Drug Administration.

Track Inventory and Supplies

Many butchers maintain records of meat inventories and on-hand supplies such as sausage casings and packaging materials. They also inspect meat prior to processing to ensure correct quantities and maintain a high level of product quality. For butchers who work in industrial settings, this can also involve maintaining detailed reports and records of processing activities throughout the shift.

Butcher Skills and Qualifications

Butchers need to be comfortable handling dangerous equipment, performing repetitive tasks, and maintaining a high level of quality and food safety. In addition, they need to be skilled at:

• Meat processing – to effectively process a variety of meats, including beef, pork, and chicken
• Food safety skills – familiarity with best practices in food handling and storage is essential to ensure guidelines are followed to prevent illness or spoilage
• Equipment maintenance – to maintain their equipment, which can include keeping knives sharp and being able to disassemble a grinder to make small repairs
• Inventory management skills – to maintain records of inventory and customer orders to prevent shortages and deliver consistent customer service
• Customer service skills – for butchers who work in specialty shops or grocery stores, customer service is essential, as they provide customers with specialty cuts upon request and answer questions about meats for sale

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: $10.00 - $13.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Employee discount

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Evening shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Application Question(s):

• Do you have Knife Skills and do you have experience using the meat saw? If so how many years of experience do you have using the saw?
• Where have you worked as A Butcher ? What were your job duties?

Experience:

• Butcher: 1 year (Required)

Shift availability:

• Day Shift (Required)
• Night Shift (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $10 - $13